Lucky Day
by Avermore
Summary: Slight A/U wherein Andrea never worked for Miranda and is instead found by her in a small town in a rather peculiar situation. Can Miranda bring Andrea into the world in which she belongs? Standard warnings apply - I don't own a thing. Just having a bit of fun. Also, explores the topic of severe abuse though all in the past tense as in before our story takes place.
1. Chapter 1

**Night had fallen and Miranda was in the living room of the rustic cabin after having kissed the girls goodnight. The vacation had been the twin's idea. They had convinced her after the divorce from Stephen had been finalized that they, Patricia included, needed a break from New York and the hustle and bustle of city life and the press. So far it seemed as though Emily had outdone herself. The cabin was secluded in what seemed to be a community filled with the retired affluent. There was a lake and well cared for paths all through the neighborhood and it was blissfully quiet, almost too quiet for Miranda. The cabin itself was also a gem. It seemed the cabin had been permanently inhabited until recently. The previous owners had left some curious, unexplained items that had actually come in handy. Firstly, there was a very large doggie door in both the front and back entrances. There was also a large, pristine doggie bed by the fireplace. The bed looked brand new as though a dog had never actually slept there. There had also been food bowls for a dog. This was odd because the community was very strict and actually had a policy against pets. Miranda had almost been denied bringing Patricia and Miranda still wasn't sure how Emily had managed to get the St Bernard on the reservation for the week. Details never concerned her anyway. **

**Miranda sat gazing at the fire thinking about everything that had happened since Fashion Week in Paris when her third husband, Stephen, had faxed divorce papers to her and her first assistant had been hit by a car breaking her leg and leaving Miranda assistant-less for the most of the event. It had been harrowing to say the least. There was a noise at the door. Miranda tilted her head to listen. She glanced down at her feet where Patricia was sleeping soundly. Miranda smiled and shook her head; the old St Bernard was half deaf. She heard the noise again. It sounded like scratching at the back door. "Must be the wind," she thought. "After all the noises out here in the 'country' are nothing like the city." The editor relaxed back into the couch. Suddenly she heard the creak of hinges and shuffling. Patricia growled. Miranda rose and walked cautiously in the direction of the noise, which just happened to be the kitchen, with Patricia at her heels. Peeking around the corner of the doorway into the dimly lit kitchen illuminated by a light over the stove Miranda was not prepared for what she saw. A person was crawling on the floor on all fours after having obviously entered through the large doggie door. At first Miranda was alarmed but after watching for a few moments Miranda realized that this person wasn't a threat. The person, a woman Miranda could now tell, was going from one place to the other sniffing the kitchen in a very familiar way. She looked like a dog. Her mannerisms were very close. It was the strangest thing Miranda had ever seen. The woman seemed to be looking for something. Whatever it was she didn't find it. The woman-dog walked, on all fours, like a dog, directly to where Miranda was standing. Quickly Miranda crossed back over to the couch and sat down bringing Patricia with her. Patricia seemed just as interested in the woman-dog as Miranda and had long since quieted down. Just after Miranda and Patricia had taken up their former spots on the couch and floor the woman-dog crawled in. She stopped for a moment, sat back on her haunches, looking eerily like Patricia, tilted her head and studied the pair. Miranda sat stock still as did Patricia. After what seemed like an eternity the woman-dog padded towards the fireplace where a large dog bed was located. She climbed in and turned around several times, curled up in a tight ball and went to sleep. Miranda was shocked. What should she do? This had to be the weirdest situation she had ever been in. The woman seemed harmless enough but she had her children to think about. She glanced at the clock. It was half gone ten. She decided the best course of action would be to call the local police. It was a very small town and she was sure if there was a woman-dog in residence the local police would know all about her and what to do. **

**The phone rang twice. "Cooper county police department," answered a friendly voice, "how may I help you?" For a moment Miranda was at a loss. How exactly would one describe the situation she was in? 'Yes, there is a woman acting like a dog in my living room?' Apparently Miranda had been thinking too long because the voice on the other end said "Hello? Hello?" **

**"Yes, I am staying in one of the cabins in the Wimberly Estates and there is a woman that came in the doggie door and ..." Miranda trailed off. She really didn't know what else to say. Luckily, the voice on the other end did. Miranda heard the woman raise her voice and speak to someone else in the room with her, "Hey Jake, Day went back to the Carter's old place and dropped in on the renter." Miranda heard muffled laughing and cursing. "Shit, tell 'em not to touch her and that I'm on my way. Been looking for her for days." The woman came back on the phone, "Ma'am, the sheriff is on his way. Don't touch her, alright?" Like Miranda didn't have any sense at all. She rolled her eyes. "Of course," she sighed and hung up. **

**Twenty minutes later Miranda heard tires on the gravel drive. She had checked on her twins and they were both sleeping peacefully. She was rather glad they were missing this. It was too strange. The woman-dog was still asleep in front of the fire in the oversized dog bed. At least she was well behaved. **

**A light knock at the front door and Miranda walked up front to let in her newest arrivals. "Evening ma'am," a young brown haired man in his thirties said tipping his cowboy sheriff's hat at her. "Please call me Miranda," the editor replied automatically. The young man smiled and said "Yes, Miranda." He looked right into her eyes and said "They said you found Day?" "Is that her name?" Miranda queried. "Come in, she's by the fire." She showed the young man, Jake she thought he had said, to the living room. When they entered Jake took a deep breath. "Yeah that's our Day. No one's seen her in several days. We were starting to get worried. She doesn't usually disappear like that." Miranda held up a hand to stop the young man's rambling. She did so detest babbling. "Jake, I suggest you start at the beginning. You seem to not find this entire situation to be odd but I assure you, the rest of the world would." "Yes, ma'am," at her glare he corrected himself, "Yes, Miranda." **

**"That there, we call her Day. It's short for Lucky Day. It's on her collar." Miranda glanced over to the sleeping form and sure enough she was wearing a red collar around her neck. "They found her about three years ago. Some men in an RV were traveling through town and got stopped for some reckless driving. Well the officer, Earl, he saw Day there locked up in a crate. You know like a dog crate?" Miranda nodded. "Anyway, they took off and started a chase. This is a small town. We've never even had a homicide and now we had a police chase," here he shook his head. "Anyway, they chased 'em on the highway for a few miles then the RV flipped. Guess they were drunker than they realized. The men didn't make it but Day over there did. It was obvious that they'd had her awhile and were treating her like, well like a pet. A dog." Why he felt the need to clarify Miranda didn't know. Clearly the woman acted like a dog. "They took her to the hospital and looked her over ya know just to make sure she was ok. We couldn't find any ID and well she has this scar from her throat down," he gestured to his stomach with his hand and blushed. "Well all the way down, ma'am," he averted his eyes for a moment. "Doc figures they sliced her vocal chords so she couldn't scream for help." At this Miranda spoke, "Figures?" "Well ma'am, Day she don't take kindly to men folk. Only lets women touch her and Doc, the town doctor, is a man. Won't let him near her. The nurses looked best they could but Day just don't like being touched. Found that out the hard way, we did. Doc's still got the scar from her teeth." He grinned and glanced at the sleeping woman before his face became serious again. "We put out bulletins, called around, ran specials on the news stations and papers but we never could find out where she came from. The papers ran a headline saying it was her lucky day when she stopped in Cooper County and the name kinda stuck. Was better than Jane Doe anyway. She's kinda been the community pet since then." Jake finished shrugging his broad shoulders lightly. "You mean to tell me that this woman lives as a dog as she did with her captors and this entire town just goes along with it?" Miranda hissed. "She is a woman not a dog!" Jake met her eyes and said, "I know that ma'am. We've tried for years to convince her she's a human not a dog but it's done no good. It took forever to get her to sleep inside and wear clothes and bathe her. They've done wonders with her around here, really ma'am. She goes from one house to the other around this little community and gets fed and bathed and taken care of. It's not ideal but it's a far sight better than what she had and it's not like you see this everyday. She's happy here." Miranda stared at the man. She could scarcely believe her ears. If the woman herself hadn't still been asleep in front of the fire Miranda would swear she was hallucinating. "Fine. What do I do with her?" "She was close to the couple that used to live here. Betty and Arthur. Arthur passed and Betty went to live with the kids. Anyway, I think she slept here quite a bit. Just let her sleep here and she'll probably wander off to Clifford and Joan's in the morning. She's not known for staying put." "You said she'd been missing recently?" Miranda asked. Jake nodded, "She's done it a couple of times before but not for as long as this time. It's been days. I remember once she came back all matted with mud and brambles. Had to cut most of her hair off that time," he laughed and shook his head. "She's a mess. They take care of her out here though and she doesn't go missing that much anymore and the locals know her and know not to let the men get near her." He glanced at the woman again and then at his watch. "Well, I'm almost off shift now. Glad she made it back safe and sound. Like I said just let her sleep and she'll probably wander off in the morning." Jake stepped back towards the front door to leave. "Oh one more thing, if you feed her don't give her any meat. She'll get sick." "Should I feed her?" Miranda asked. "Nah, Joan usually makes her breakfast. I was just warning ya." He tipped his hat again as he stepped out of the door, "Night ma'am." "Miranda," she automatically corrected. "Night Miranda," he nodded. She closed the door behind him and locked it. **

**Miranda quietly walked over to the fire and the still sleeping woman. "Lucky Day isn't a proper name. Though I suppose Rover isn't any better," laughing at her own joke she let her eyes roam over the sleeping girl. She was slight, probably no more than 120 pounds. She looked young too. "You can't be any more than 30, if that," Miranda whispered softly. Her hair looked to be about shoulder length and was a curly brown mess. Her skin was clear and pale. She was wearing a t-shirt and some tan carpenter pants with what seemed to be padded knees, probably an adjustment some kind soul made to save the woman's knees, as it seemed she never walked on her feet. Even so someone had managed to put a pair of atrocious hiking boots on the woman. Miranda glanced at her face again. The girl was actually quite pretty once one got past the fact that she was sleeping in a dog bed. Just then the woman stretched and opened her eyes locking the chocolate orbs with Miranda's. Day's face remained impassive. Miranda decided to break the silence. "My name is Miranda. I understand you were close to the people that lived here before. You are welcome to stay as long as you like. We will be here the week." Miranda paused waiting for acknowledgment of her words. She didn't get it. Day continued to stare into Miranda's eyes, unmoving. "I am going to bed. I will see you in the morning. Good night, Day." With that Miranda turned and walked towards her temporary master suit. She almost stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a familiar shuffling behind her. Day was following her. Miranda fought down panic at the strange situation. Not even Miranda's husbands followed her to bed. She had always insisted on separate rooms in order to retain her independence and identity. "The woman thinks she's a dog. Get a hold of yourself, Priestly. It's no different than Patricia!" Miranda reached down and patted the head of her faithful St Bernard at her side. She continued to the bedroom. She opened the door and walked towards the bed. Moving the duvet back she climbed in and watched as Patricia settled herself in her doggie bed, one Miranda had brought from home. Day remained in the doorway watching both Miranda and Patricia. Once they were both settled Day padded over to the bed, on all fours of course, and lithely jumped onto the foot of the bed all the while her eyes were locked on Miranda's. She repeated her early motions of turning around to get comfortable and then curled up tightly in a ball and went back to sleep. It took much longer before Miranda joined her in the land of dreams. **

**Light was just beginning to stream through the windows when Miranda was awakened by a soft tickle on her chest and a dip in the bed beside her. Panic was her gut instinct but upon remembering the night before and Day at the foot of her bed she clamped down hard on any outward reaction. Miranda opened her eyes to mere slits and was able to see that Day was on her haunches at her side or rather what passed for haunches in a human. The woman was sitting with her knees and shins pressed to the bed and her hands palm down in front of her. The girl's face was mere inches from Miranda's own, her nose just an inch above her cheek. She seemed to be ...sniffing...Miranda. Slowly she followed a path from Miranda's cheek to her jaw to just over her mouth, taking short breaths in through her nose the whole time. Miranda struggled to remain still and not startle the girl especially as se was known to bite. The editor cursed herself for letting the woman in her bed to begin with. She knew she couldn't fight her off if she became violent. The girl was after all half her age and spent her days working out her body, granted it was as a dog but Miranda spent her time behind a desk. Sure she worked out but she didn't think yoga would be particularly helpful in this instance. Focusing on her breathing Miranda let Day continue her journey uninterrupted glad that it was far too early for the twins to be awake. Day moved from her mouth down to her jaw and just under her ear. Here she took a very deep breath in through her nose before continuing down the editor's neck her nose brushing her skin at several points. The journey continued over her collar bones, between her breasts which made Miranda glad she had worn far less revealing button up pajamas than her normal night wear of a sheer, low cut gown. Day continued to trail her nose down between Miranda's breasts to her stomach to her navel. "Surely she isn't going to continue?" Miranda thought. Then she remembered that as this woman thought as a dog that yes she most likely was going to continue. Miranda braced herself for the invasion of her privacy. Day's nose was now on her body, not breaking contact as she continued to take small snuffling breaths through it. When her exploration took her over the waistband of Miranda's silk drawstring pants Day's breaths became deeper and slower. Slowly Miranda felt her nose trail over her pubic bone to directly on her sex. Here Day took the deepest breath yet. Unlike everywhere else on her body that Day had passed over quickly the girl seemed set to linger here. "Great, just great," Miranda thought. "I haven't been touched in years and now I've got a dog-woman sniffing me like I'm in heat." She had to quickly grit her teeth when Day suddenly used her nose to forcefully push Miranda's thighs apart. The editor couldn't hold back a surprised gasp when the woman pressed her nose and lips, mouth open, to the apex of her legs and took several slow, long, deep breaths. "Oh god," Miranda thought. "Day, please stop," she said breathlessly. She was still wary of startling the woman into a violent reaction but it didn't come. Day gently removed her face and sat back on her haunches studying Miranda's face, head tilted as though waiting on the editor's next words. "You shouldn't be able to sit there and look at me so innocently after what you just did," Miranda accused looking into chocolate brown orbs. "Good morning, by the way. That is the proper morning greeting," the editor said. Day just smiled at her. Miranda shook her head. "Dogs," she thought. **


	2. Chapter 2

Midday found Miranda lounging on a blanket in a small grassy area of the community park enjoying a picnic with her girls, Patricia and Day. Turns out Day was more entertaining for the girls than the St Bernard as Patricia was nearly 10 years old and simply didn't have the stamina of a 20 something year old woman. Currently Patricia was lying off to the side of the blanket napping while Day had lain in an odd position Miranda assumed was supposed to mimic a dog laying on its belly but actually more resembled a yoga pose with the woman's legs tucked beneath her, shins flat to the ground, arms folded in front of her, chin resting on her forearms.

Cassidy and Caroline had been surprisingly accepting of Day. They had, of course, begged to keep her and take her back to New York with them when they left to which Miranda had explained that while she acted like a dog that Day was actually a grown woman and was not up for adoption like a puppy at a pet store. This had somewhat mollified the girls but even Miranda had to admit that while the community was doing its best for the woman it wasn't the best that she could possibly have or even what the young woman deserved. The editor had also cautioned the girls not to be upset when Day wandered off as she was not known to stay in one place very long and moved throughout the community. Miranda was actually really surprised that the woman was still with them by midday. She was contemplating feeding her again. She had eventually accepted scrambled eggs and strawberries for breakfast that morning eaten out of a bowl, on the floor, like a dog. The woman didn't even attempt to use her hands. The sight had been disconcerting to say the least. A voice broke her reverie. "Mom shouldn't we feed Day? I mean I know we only feed Patricia once a day but she's a dog and Day's ... well not a dog," Cassidy trailed off as of not really sure how to classify the woman. "She's a woman, Bobbsie." Miranda said gently. "Not a dog at all and yes we may feed her but she's a vegetarian and apparently has a sensitive stomach or so the sheriff told me." "What were these people feeding her, Mom?" Caroline asked. "She looks really unhealthy. Too skinny." Caroline was right. If Day were to stand up she'd be at least 5'8" and she must weigh only 120 pounds and most of that was muscle. Miranda couldn't see an ounce of extra tissue on the woman's entire body. "I don't know, Bobbsie. Perhaps offer her some of the bread, tomatoes, and other vegetables?" Slowly Cassidy and Caroline offered Day different foods from the basket. She accepted everything except celery and what she did accept had to broken into small pieces and hand fed to her. She still refused to use her hands. When she seemed to be full Cassidy piped up, "What about something to drink?" Before Miranda had a chance to realize what it was Caroline was offering the woman her daughter had already placed the bottle to Day's lips and poured some Coke into the woman's mouth. Day apparently didn't like soda either because she immediately started coughing and spewing cola everywhere while fighting for breath and shaking her head violently. The girls found this immensely amusing until they realized that Day was upset. It was amazing how well she was able to communicate her emotions with absolutely no sound at all. A tilt of the head, the position of her mouth, and her amazingly expressive eyes said it all for her. Day looked at the girls with sad eyes that said, "Why did you hurt me?" And shuffled over to Miranda and buried her head, still coughing slightly, into Miranda's side.

The woman's innocence and big brown eyes spoke to editor. When she felt the girl's head touch her side Miranda's hand went to stroke calmingly through the chestnut curls. A feeling of protectiveness and loyalty like she hasn't felt since he held her baby girls for the first time rose up in the editor. She knew then that she wouldn't leave this woman here. She deserved more and Miranda could give it to her. She shook her head as she internally mused how much her life had changed in 24 hours.

After the picnic the family had decided to go to the market as Cassidy had wisely pointed out that they weren't prepared to feed Day properly. Patricia had been returned to the house and Day had been asked to come along. Miranda simply refused to talk to the woman as a dog and spoke to her as she would her twins, with kindness that few ever saw. She let Day's actions speak for her and when she had been told of the shopping trip and asked to accompany the family started walking to the car and Day followed.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This is a fic out of my crazy mind because crazy ideas just need to be shared! The pairing is Mirandy because cross generational is my thing apparently, lol.**

**Summary: Miranda finds Andrea in a small town where she has been living as a dog for three years. Can Miranda teach her how to be a human?**

**Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own a thing, just having some fun. This is slash folks so if that isn't your thing you are reading the wrong fic.**

**To all that have left comments a great big thank you! Keep feeding the author! This is going to be a lengthy story and we are just in the set up phase. They still have to get back to New York! **

**Poppinswannabe: Yes there will be some chapters from Day's POV. Gonna be a little while though. Be patient. :)**

**Lotty-anna: Miranda is going to help her and we will see Day help Miranda as well :)**

**Mika: Thank you for the succinct sentiment. It's crazy but I'm in love with it too.**

**Rachel: Here's more ;)**

**Brithna: No need to be sad. This will continue!**

**Cath: Thank you!**

**ShadowCub: I honestly hadn't thought of the papers so far, but now I'm gonna have to work that in!**

**To all - thank you for being there for me and hanging with us through this crazy crazy fic. I think it's gonna be great! - Avermore**

**PS - could use a beta...any takers?**

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** The trip to the market hadn't been all the bad considering. It was a bit strange to shop with people all content to participate in the same delusion that the curly, brown, headed woman walking around on all fours was in fact a dog. Miranda thought that now she understood what it must be like to be in a cult. To be brain washed to believe something that was by all facts in evidence absolutely not true but to be surrounded by people that believed it was. It was worse, of course, that she had to go along with the insanity. **

** The other townsfolk had stopped and spoken to Day as they would a dog or a small child. A few people had even petted her head and the produce worker had given her pieces of pineapple and watermelon. The market had been extremely calm as all of the shoppers had been locals of the retirement community and made Miranda look like a grade school student. In circumspect Miranda realized that the only people Day had let touch her had been elderly women. The sheriff had been right on that topic. Day definitely did not like men.**

** Cassidy and Caroline had asked every person that greeted Day what the woman liked to eat and what they knew about her. Information had been very forth coming though every person was surprised to see Day trotting along with the family, as she was not known for loyalty. Even so the woman was well liked and didn't seem to have an enemy to her name. **

** The Priestly's had learned that Day would eat just about any vegetable, loved fruits and pasta. Cassidy, the chocoholic, had asked if the woman liked sweets and chocolate in particular to which one elderly grandmother had responded, "Sweetie you can't give dogs chocolate," and kindly patted Cassidy's arm. The look Cass had given her mother was priceless. After the lady had passed Cassidy insisted they get chocolate for Day, "as a treat," she had said knowing Miranda did not allow sweets on a regular basis. **

** Miranda had been more interested in the day-to-day care of the local pet. Her questions were more centered around who bathed her, where did her clothes come from, was there a trick to dressing her, who brushed her teeth, was she able to use bathroom facilities. It seemed that Day had a schedule of sorts where she showed up to certain houses at certain times and that person did the same thing for her every day. **

** She always had breakfast with Joan, after which she was usually seen playing in the park followed by a walk with Mr. Carey an elderly gentleman who was confined to a power chair. Lunch was with Jake, the local Sheriff, and his family, after lunch she went to some locale unknown until dinner time which she shared with Martha and Katrina, an elderly lesbian couple. After they had learned that much Miranda realized that the one person who had been taking care of Day's day-to-day needs beyond food had been Betty, the woman that used to live in the house where she was vacationing. **

** She needed to get in touch with this woman to see how to best care for Day. She decided to call Jake later. Luckily, she had thought to get his number from his wife when they ran into her in the market.**

** Dinner had been a trying affair. Caroline had more or less begged for pasta as it had been revealed as one of Day's favorite dishes. Cassidy had wisely picked a short pasta and Caroline a red sauce. When it came time to actually sit down and eat is when Miranda realized her mistake. **

** Day didn't use her hands and watching her try to eat the slippery noodles out of a bowl on the floor had been too much for the ever-proper editor to bear. She instructed her girls to continue as though nothing odd or out of place was happening a topic they had visited earlier. **

** Miranda had told them it would be easier to acclimate Day if she wasn't being stared at like an exhibit and was instead made to feel at home and accepted. The silver haired editor had tried, unsuccessfully, to get Day to sit in a chair. The young woman couldn't seem to grasp the concept that her bottom belonged in the chair and her feet on the floor. Every time Miranda repositioned the girl she quickly brought her feet up in the chair with her, which only cause her to slide out and onto the floor restarting the entire process. The editor had eventually settled for letting Day sit in a position of her choosing on the floor while Miranda gently took hold of the girl's right hand and flattened it out against her own and then gently wrapped the girls long, slender, calloused fingers around a large handled fork that had been purchased earlier for this very purpose. Day had stared at her hand as Miranda positioned the fork in her hand and then guided her hand to her bowl and scooped up noodles and guided the fork back to Day's mouth.**

** When the fork reached the brown-eyed woman's mouth it had remained shut. Day had glanced at the fork and then locked eyes with Miranda and tilted her head. "Like this," Miranda had said softly and then guided the fork to her own mouth and taken the bite. After swallowing she guided the girl's hand back down to the bowl and scooped another forkful of pasta guiding it again to the girl's mouth.**

** Day tilted her head, her brow furrowed with confusion. "I know that this is difficult and different for you, but you are a woman, not a dog and you must learn to eat with utensils," Miranda had said gently but firmly. "Open your mouth." Day didn't move. Miranda ran her finger along the woman's lower lip, "Mouth. Open," she repeated. Day ran her tongue along the path Miranda had just traced and still didn't open her mouth. The editor was quickly running out of patience. She counted to ten under her breath and then reached up with her free hand and used her thumb to gently open Day's mouth. Day had looked surprised but had allowed it. Miranda put the pasta-laden fork into Day's mouth and then used her fingers to guide the woman's chin up to close her mouth before slowly withdrawing the fork. **

** The editor made sure to keep her motions slow and gentle so as to not frighten the woman as she still feared a violent reaction if she pushed the woman too far. It took nearly an hour to feed Day what Miranda deemed to be a sufficient amount. When the last bite had been consumed Day licked her lips happily and then leaned in towards her caregiver and sniffed her cheek before licking the soft skin after which she trotted off to the living room to lie in her bed in front of the fire. The stunned editor had sat on the floor for a few moments before gracefully rising, thanking her years of yoga for the flexibility. She found Caroline staring at her from across the table. "I think she likes you, Mom!" the girl had exclaimed. "Yes, bobbsie, I think she does."**

**After sending the girls off to get their showers and get ready for bed Miranda sat down to call the sheriff. The phone rang twice. **

**"Hello?" a woman's voice answered.**

**"Yes, my name is Miranda Priestly. I spoke with Jake last night concerning Day and I was calling to get the number of the woman, Betty, that used to live here to get more information about Day," Miranda said.**

**"Oh ok, I think I have her daughter's number here somewhere. Hang on," Miranda could hear rustling and what sounded like a drawer opening. "Here we go. Jimmy get down from there!" the woman suddenly yelled. "Sorry about that. Ok her number is 555-9846. Her daughter's name is Louisa," the woman said.**

**Miranda jotted the number down and then said, "Thank you, you've been very helpful. That's all."**

**"Elizabeth let go of the cat!" the woman yelled. "Sorry. Kids. Is that all you needed?"**

**"Yes, I'm all set," Miranda, answered.**

**"Ok well, good night then and good luck!" The line went dead.**

**Miranda dialed the new number and listened to the rings, three this time.**

**"Hello?" a male voice answered.**

**"Hello, my name is Miranda Priestly. I was trying to reach Betty," Miranda said.**

**"Hang on," he said. "Let me go get her."**

**After a few moments the line was picked back up.**

**"Hello?" an elderly voice answered.**

**"Yes, my name is Miranda and I am vacationing at your former home. Day found her way to my door and I was calling to see what advice and information you could give me regarding her care," Miranda said.**

** "Day is such a lovely creature, isn't she?" Betty said adoringly. "I have so enjoyed looking after her. She's a sweet and fragile thing. They say she bites but she's never hurt me. She showed up on our doorstep several years ago in the middle of a rainstorm. Poor thing was soaking wet and half frozen," she chuckled at the memory. "Took Arthur and I the better part of an hour to get her out of those clothes and in the tub. She left muddy tracks all over the house and I had to put her in one of my old nightgowns until I could get her to the store to buy something better. I left her clothes in a trunk at the foot of the bed in the master bedroom."**

**"That shall come in handy, thank you," Miranda said.**

** "We bought her some of those work pants and I padded the knees for her. I know crawling around the way she does has to hurt, though she's never once complained," Betty said. "I have been rather worried about her since I left for good last week. Jake said she had gone missing. I am so very glad that she has shown back up. I wanted so much to stay to care for her but I am nearly 90 years old and it was a huge chore even with Arthur's help and now that he's passed there was just no way I would be able to care for her," Betty said sadly. "I tried to explain things to her and told her to go to someone else in the community. I swear she understands what you say to her but she just left the next morning and I didn't see her the last night I was there."**

**Miranda waited for the woman to continue.**

** "Are you going to take her with you when you leave?" Betty asked. "You sound young and Day needs someone young that can take care of her for a long time to come and that has the energy that she needs."**

** "I would like very much for her to accompany my family back to the city when we leave, but I will leave that decision up to her," Miranda stated firmly.**

**"Does she let you pet her?" Betty questioned.**

**"Yes. She also let me help her use a fork to eat her pasta tonight," Miranda stated smugly.**

**"She let you put a fork in her hand?" Betty asked unbelievingly, obviously surprised.**

**"Yes, did you never try to teach her how to use utensils?" Miranda asked.**

** "Oh we tried several times but Day would run away and hide under the bed and wouldn't come out for hours. I don't know what those men did to her but she doesn't trust easily and I only know of 4 people that she will let touch her," Betty paused. "How many days has she been there with you?"**

**"Since last night," Miranda answered. She heard the other woman gasp.**

** "Miranda, I've known Day for close to three years and she's never stayed with one person for longer than a couple of hours except us because she spent the night. It took months, Miranda, months, to get the girl to stay inside at night. She doesn't trust easily but she trusts you." Miranda could hear the tears in the old woman's voice. "Trust like that is a gift, child. Please treat her well." **

**"I will," Miranda promised. "I have a few questions about her care if you could please help me?" **

**"Yes, of course child. Go ahead," Betty replied. **

** Over the next half hour Miranda got the answers to all of the pertinent questions she had been able to come up with during the day. Armed with her newfound knowledge she went to put the knowledge to good use. Apparently Betty was the only person that bathed Day, brushed her teeth, and changed her clothes. Since Betty had moved away nearly two weeks prior Miranda couldn't possibly let the woman go another night without seeing to her hygiene. However there was one more thing to do first. **

** Cassidy and Caroline had gotten ready for bed and were in their room playing on the Wii. Miranda stood in the doorway watching them for a bit. Cassidy was more like her than Caroline. Cassidy was fierce and blunt while Caroline had a softer approach and wore her emotions on her face. The mother in her loved watching them interact wishing that she had experienced the joys of growing up with someone to balance her the way the twins balanced each other. Miranda sighed; finding such a balance now wouldn't be unwelcome either. "Girls," Miranda said. Both girls looked at their mother. "I think it's time we talked about something." **

**"What's up, Mom," Caroline said instantly concerned. **

**"Nothing bad, Bobbsie," Miranda smiled reassuringly. "I just wanted to talk about Day." **

**"What about her?" Cassidy questioned. **

**"I have given it some thought and I agree with what you girls said earlier about her not being given the proper care here and I would like to know what you girls would think about her coming home with us," Miranda said. **

**"But Mom earlier you said she wasn't up for adoption like a pet at the store," Caroline said looking confused. **

**"She's not. It would be Day's choice whether or not to accompany us but I wanted to know what you girls would like before asking her," Miranda said. **

** The twins looked at each other and exchanged a few words in twin speak which Miranda had never understood. After several moments of the private conversation Caroline looked at her mother and said, "We would like her to come back and stay with us but we want to help you teach her how to be a woman instead of a dog." **

**Miranda nodded, "I expected no less of you," she smiled. "We will ask her tomorrow. Now on to another matter." **

**The twins looked at her expectantly. **

**"Lucky Day is not a proper name. If she is to be treated as a woman she needs a proper woman's name," Miranda said. "Any suggestions?" **

**The girls both lit up at the question. They had never named anything before as Patricia had been with Miranda before they were born. **

**" I like the names Amy, Meghan, Teegan..." Cassidy said. **

**"I like Andrea, Elizabeth, and Bailey," Caroline interrupted. **

** "All good names though I would pronounce it Andrea," the editor said emphasizing the second syllable rather than the first. "Let's go in the living room and see if she likes any of them." **

** Together the three Priestly women walked into the living room and sat down in front of the fireplace. Miranda woke Day by running her hand through the girl's mane of curls. "We have something we wish to discuss with you," the silver haired woman said. Day tilted her head. "You are a woman not a dog," Miranda began. "As such you need a proper name fitting of a young woman. Cassidy and Caroline," Miranda gestured to her daughters on the couch, "have picked out a few and we would like to know if you like any of them." Day tilted her head in the other direction. "Cassidy say the names you picked," Miranda instructed. "If you hear a name you like let us know," the editor said locking eyes with Day. "Slowly, Cassidy." **

**"Amy," Cassidy said and waited. Day didn't move. **

**"Meghan," she said, still no response. **

**"Teegan," Cassidy finished. Nothing. **

**"Guess she doesn't like my names, Mom," Cassidy said sounding a little hurt. **

**"It's ok, Bobbsie," Miranda said soothingly. "They are pretty names." Miranda turned to look at her other daughter. "Caroline, your turn."**

**"Bailey," Caroline started. Day didn't move. The non-response made Cassidy feel a little bit better. At least not liking the names wasn't personal. **

**"Elizabeth," Caroline said, still no response. **

**"Andrea," Caroline finished emphasizing the "A." Day didn't move. Both girls looked at their mother broken-heartedly. Miranda held up a hand. **

**"Andrea," Miranda said emphasizing the second syllable. The curly headed woman jumped up on all fours, trotted over to Miranda and licked her cheek much as she had done after dinner earlier. **

**All three Priestly women grinned. "Andrea it is then," Miranda said softly. **

**"We can call her Andy for short!" Cassidy said excitedly. **

**"Ooooh, that's cute," Caroline agreed. **

**"You girls may call her that if she doesn't object," Miranda looked at the newly named woman for a sign that she didn't like the nickname. None was forth coming. "However, I shall call her Andrea." **

**"Mom she needs a last name, too," Caroline piped up. **

**"Yeah, she needs a full name," Cassidy agreed. **

**Miranda looked at Andrea. "Our family name is Priestly. Would you like that to be your name as well?" **

**Miranda received another lick on the cheek. "Very well." **

** "It is nice to meet you Andrea Priestly," Miranda said formally holding out her hand to the girl as though expecting a handshake. Instead, the woman jumped in her lap, licked her cheek again, and then nuzzled her neck in what was the closest thing to a hug that could be achieved without hands. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Guys thank you sooooo much for the reviews and for hanging in there! RL has cut in big time lately but I am dedicated to both of my stories and hope to have 'Diary' updated in the next few days. I have a few ideas where I want Lucky Day to go but I am open to suggestions if you have any...**

**Enjoy and as always R&R.**

**Loves and hugs - Avermore**

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**Miranda decided to put the girls to bed before tackling Andrea's hygiene issues. She wanted it to be one on one time that she hoped would allow the woman to remain calm, not that the editor had seen the woman anything but calm, but then she hadn't tried to strip and bathe her yet either. Miranda was praying to whomever would listen that this endeavor would go well. Andrea had a way of soothing Miranda and she didn't want to push the girl too far and have her run off. Not now. It had been years since Miranda had last felt this relaxed and peaceful. That girl was a balm to her weary soul. **

**Taking a deep breath Miranda steeled her resolve and walked into the living room to wake the slumbering woman. She ran a gentle hand through chestnut curls and said softly, "Andrea, wake up darling." After several moments sleepy chocolate eyes met icy blue. Andrea smiled. "Come along, Andrea," Miranda said. "You haven't had a bathe in almost two weeks, dear, and you need one." Andrea tilted her head at Miranda. "You will be more comfortable after a bath and in some clean clothes, then we can go to bed," Miranda said. Andrea lifted both eyebrows in question. "Yes, we," she emphasized the 'we', "can go to bed. Our bed." Miranda smiled gently. "I have relegated Patricia to the girls' room as I thought you might be more comfortable not sharing space with her." Andrea tilted her head in the other direction and lowered her brows. "You are a woman, Andrea, not a dog. You deserve privacy and respect. I'm trying very hard to give you those things," the editor explained. Andrea made it so easy to talk to her. Never before had the editor had someone with whom she could share literally anything and everything and never fear judgment or the information being used against her. Technically, she had that with Patricia but Patricia was a dog and Andrea, sweet Andrea, was a woman. **

**"Come along, Andrea," Miranda repeated. "Bath time." The editor ran her hand again through Andrea's unruly mane before turning and walking towards the master bath adjoining her suite. She heard the shuffling noise that told her, without looking, that Andrea was following. **

**Once inside the bathroom Miranda turned to face Andrea and dropped to her knees. She had always made it a point to be on eye level with her girls when she spoke to them when they were younger and she was certain that looking up all of the time would be painful for Andrea. Miranda was not a tall woman by any means but for a woman on all fours it was still a stretch to make eye contact. "I know that you are not used to me taking care of you but you really need to be bathed and have fresh clothes. I would hope that you have realized by now that I am not going to hurt you," Miranda found her hands once again drawn to that chestnut disaster on Andrea's head. For some reason it helped her think and focus when she spoke to Andrea if she had her hands on the younger woman. **

**The tub was almost filled. Miranda had chosen to run a fragrant bubble bath using her own signature concoction thinking that a familiar scent might be comforting for Andrea. Now Miranda just had to get the woman undressed and in the tub. Where to start? "I need to get you undressed, ok?" Miranda asked. Andrea licked the editor's cheek in response. Miranda decided to take the gesture as consent. The dreadful collar around Andrea's neck was the first item to be removed. The editor tried to be gentle and not make any sudden movements or sounds but she had been unable to hold in a gasp when she saw the silver scar running from just under the younger woman's right ear across her throat towards her left shoulder where it disappeared inside the neck of the girl's t-shirt. "I'm so sorry, darling," Miranda whispered as she traced the scar gently with her fingers. "I'm glad these men are dead or I would have to kill them myself." **

**Next came the t-shirt. Miranda placed her palm gently against Andrea's chest, above her breasts, and said; "Sit back on your knees so I can get your shirt off." Andrea allowed the repositioning. It was odd to be undressing a grown woman who was, in all honesty, perfectly capable of the task. Miranda reached for the hem of the girl's shirt and gently tugged the garment up and over her head. Underneath was a plain white tank top. Miranda wasn't surprised as she had found several of these in the trunk that Betty had left. Apparently, Betty believed in layers. Under the tank top was a sports bra that had been a little more difficult to remove due to its tight fit. Under the sports bra had been a white, cotton bra. Finding two bras had surprised the editor but as Andrea was most likely a C-cup this was probably more comfortable for the girl as she was on her hands and knees all day. Once all of the garments above her waist had been removed Miranda could see just how underweight Andrea truly was. Another gasp escaped the silver haired woman; ribs could clearly be seen and counted easily. "Oh Andrea," Miranda moaned sadly. "Darling, you are going to have to eat better and more often." **

**Pants needed to be taken off next and the editor was at a loss as to how to do that. Andrea wouldn't stand up on her feet and wasn't exactly forthcoming with a better idea. "Andrea, how do you get these off?" Miranda asked. Andrea tilted her head at Miranda as if to say 'Don't you know?' Finally, Miranda decided to get the younger woman to lie on her back on the thick bathroom rug while Miranda unzipped and removed her pants and underwear. "Well, I can see that shaving wasn't on Betty's top list of priorities," the editor said teasingly. "No matter, I have an electric shaver that we can use for now but once we get to New York we will look into electrolysis. I won't be shaving you every other day," Miranda teased with a soft smile.**

**Now that the young woman was undressed Miranda had to get her into the tub. The tub was a beautiful, claw footed antique; unfortunately it was also very high off of the ground. Miranda pursed her lips as she thought while Andrea sat silently at her feet. "I know this is where you have been getting bathed. It is the only tub in the house," Miranda tousled curls as she thought. She knew she was nowhere near strong enough to lift the woman and suspected that Betty hadn't been either, even with help. She turned her gaze to Andrea's big, brown eyes, "Well darling, how is it done?" To the editor's immense surprise Andrea leaned back on her knees and stretched out her hands as though wanting help to stand. Miranda's shock must have shown clearly on her face because Andrea smiled widely, amusement glittering in her dark eyes. Still in shock the editor braced herself and locked hands with the young woman and pulled steadily and strongly, careful not to move too fast. It took nearly two minutes to get a very unsteady Andrea to her feet. Once standing Andrea took a step towards Miranda almost falling but luckily the editor was as quick physically as she was mentally and she gathered the faltering young woman in a full body embrace to steady her. "It's alright. It's alright," she murmured into the girl's neck. Now that the girl was standing Miranda could see she was correct in guessing that Andrea was several inches taller. Miranda put her height somewhere around 5'8". The editor was only 5'6" and that was in heels. **

**"So you can stand upright," Miranda accused. "That's good, though you could have mentioned this earlier," Miranda mock glared. "We will work on this more. You need to be walking on your feet, not your knees and hands. That is not the purpose for which they were designed." While she spoke the white haired woman led her willing charge to the tub with tiny steps. "Step," Miranda said when the reached the side of the tub. Andrea lifted one foot while shakily attempting to remain balanced on the other. It was work and Miranda was breaking a sweat but she managed to get the younger woman safely in the bath. **

**Miranda took her time bathing the younger woman. She gently soaped the loofa and ran it over the girls' slender but surprisingly muscular form taking note of the injuries both old and new. Aside from the thin, silver scar that ran from the girl's ear, across her neck, down over her sternum stopping at her navel the only injuries that the editor could find were bumps and bruises from the roughness of Andrea's every day life. Those would fade in time. Now that the editor was assured that Andrea could literally stand on her own two feet she was determined to have her walking on them permanently in a few weeks. **

**The water in the tub had to be changed twice before it ran clear. It had to be changed again after Miranda took care of Andrea's "fur". "I can't believe they let you get so hairy," the editor sighed shaking her head. "It simply isn't good for your skin. It will take awhile to get your legs properly moisturized again." Miranda grimaced, "At least you haven't developed eczema." **

**Unsurprisingly, Miranda's favorite part of bathing the younger woman was washing her hair. What was surprising was that it also seemed to be Andrea's favorite. After washing the girl's hair twice and conditioning it thoroughly the editor was satisfied that Andrea was sufficiently cleansed. To save time and effort the editor brushed Andrea's teeth while she was in the bath. Apparently, Andrea was quite used to this and seemed to enjoy having her teeth brushed.**

**Andrea climbed out of the tub with the editors help but instead of allowing the woman to take her usual seat on the floor Miranda led her to the vanity in her room and sat her in the chair. The walk was slow and they were both breathing heavily when they finally made it the full fifteen feet and Andrea was so worn from the unaccustomed use of her lower legs that Miranda was able to seat her properly in the chair. Andrea sat facing the mirror wrapped in a terry robe. The editor stood behind her. Their eyes met in the mirror. There was a look of satisfaction in Miranda's and look of triumph in Andrea's. **

**"Seems it has been awhile since you walked," the editor said softly picking up a wide-toothed comb. "No matter. We will work on it and you will be walking all the time before you know it." Miranda started to comb the tangled mess that was Andrea's hair. "Right now, however, we are going to take care of your hair." She combed steadily as she spoke. "It's quite beautiful you know. It needs a trim bit luckily for you I was a hairdresser before I was an editor," Miranda met Andrea's eyes in the mirror again. The younger woman appeared to be listening intently. The silver haired woman didn't doubt that not only was Andrea listening but that she understood every word that was spoken. Miranda could clearly see intelligence in the girl's dark eyes that the others had either been ignoring or missing. **

**Once her hair was detangled Miranda picked up her shears and proceeded to cut all of the dead ends off of the beautiful chestnut mane and add in a few layers that would make Andrea's hair lay more easily requiring no work to style while still keeping most of the length. The editor did want enough to run her hands through after all. With practiced efficiency the older woman braided the younger's hair to keep it from getting tangled in the night, much as she had done her own when younger. Then she cared for Andrea's skin as she would her own. It would take while to even her complexion out after the years of sun damage but Andrea was young and her skin was naturally radiant. **

**Slipping the robe off of Andrea's shoulders Miranda dressed the girl in a soft, red button up sleep shirt. After buttoning the shirt the editor dropped gracefully to her knees and lifted Andrea's feet one at a time and slid the matching pants up her legs. "I need you to stand to get these all of the way up," Miranda said looking up into Andrea's eyes from her kneeling position. Andrea whined. It was an incredibly soft, low sound and if the editor's hearing hadn't been far above average Miranda surely would've missed it entirely. The editor's mouth hung open in shock and she nearly fell back on her backside. She recovered quickly. It wouldn't do to scare the girl, not if she wanted her to continue to find her voice. "I know you are tired. It has been an incredibly long day," Miranda said running a soothing hand along the girl's cheek. "You are doing so well. Let's just get these on and then we will go to bed, ok?" Andrea huffed silently at that. Miranda couldn't hide her smirk as she stood to help the girl to her feet. **

**Now fully dressed Miranda led the exhausted woman baby-step by baby-step to the bed. Luckily, she had thought ahead and folded back the covers. Andrea all but fell on her lovely backside on the bed while Miranda lifted her feet onto the bed and snugly tucked the covers around her. Brushing a stray hair out of the girl's face Miranda spoke, "I have to go get ready for bed. I will be in momentarily. Get some rest." She turned away and briskly walked back to the bathroom. It was late; she was tired and wanted to get to bed as soon as humanly possible. Just as she was about to shut the door she heard Andrea's soft shuffling. She opened the door a crack and peered out. Sure enough, Andrea was on all fours making her way slowly towards the bathroom. "You should be in bed. I did just go through the trouble of putting you there," the editor glared. The icy stare had no effect on Andrea who continued to shuffle past Miranda into the bathroom where she curled up on the plush rug in front of the unused sink, placing her chin on her folded hands and met Miranda's eyes. "Oh very well," the editor huffed pretending to be put out. Miranda went through her ablutions quickly under Andrea's curious brown gaze. "Some of us aren't young and beautiful. It takes quite a bit of work to keep my skin healthy and soft," Miranda said. Andrea huffed. Miranda smiled. **

**Finally, the editor had finished her beauty regime and was ready for some shut-eye. While she wasn't thrilled at the idea of Andrea crawling to bed Miranda was too tired to get the girl on two feet again. She suspected Andrea might be too tired for that as well so she simply said, "Come along Andrea. It's officially bed time." **

**Miranda climbed in her side of the bed and got comfortable as she watched Andrea jump lithely from the floor onto what was now her side of the bed. Miranda watched as Andrea started to turn circles like a dog trying to get comfortable. No, there was no way the editor was going to let her sleep like a dog after she just proved that she could walk on her feet and most likely still retained the ability to speak as well. The older woman rolled onto her side, facing Andrea and held out her arm, "Come here Andrea." The younger woman looked at the elder curiously, head tilted. "Honestly, Andrea," Miranda sighed. "I won't bite you. It is far too drafty for you to sleep on top of the duvet especially in those thin pajamas." Sometime during bath time Miranda had realized that Andrea was not going to react badly as long as it was just the two of them and it had calmed the editor though she had made sure not to go overboard. She beckoned again. Andrea's brows furrowed in thought. Miranda decided to utilize something no one, save her daughters, would ever believe she had, patience. She waited. She could almost see the wheels turning in Andrea's head. The white haired woman propped her head on her fist and waited quietly while studying Andrea. She could see that the girl wanted to come closer but was fighting several years of well-engrained training and self-preservation techniques. After several minutes of watching the young woman torture herself with her indecision Miranda spoke, "Andrea, darling, I won't hurt you. As you can see," the editor gestured to her slender, compact body, "I am much older, smaller, and weaker than you. Even if I did try to over power you it would be no matter for you to throw me off. It is late and we are both exhausted. Come here and sleep by my side." Andrea slowly ran her eyes over the editor's form while weighing Miranda's words. The editor silently prayed she had gotten her point across to the younger woman. Apparently, she had because Andrea slowly, softly, scooted towards the other woman. "That's it, darling. Come here. That's right," the editor softly encouraged. When Andrea's body was finally close enough the editor placed a soft kiss on her forehead, brushed hair out of her eyes, and said "I'm going to turn over as I prefer to sleep on my other side. Stay here," truthfully the editor didn't want to cause flash backs by being the 'big spoon' and making Andrea feel like she was holding her captive. Reaching for Andrea's hand she linked their fingers, rolled over, and slid back until their bodies were flush. "This ok?" she softly asked. She heard a soft whimper and felt a mouth brush her crown in reply. The editor's heart fluttered. Yes, Andrea had a voice and they would find it together. With that thought the odd couple drifted off to sleep. **


	5. Chapter 5

You guys are the best! I am so in love with this story and the response. Thank you all! Oh and for those of you who were wondering the next chapter will be from Andrea's POV. Never fear though we will see puppy Andrea again. She won't disappear so easily!

~Avermore~

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Whimpering and thrashing woke Miranda; she could feel Andrea moving but she wasn't beside her as she was when they had fallen asleep. Moonlight barely illuminated the room and the editor squinted in the darkness trying to locate the troubled woman. Following the movements and sounds Miranda found Andrea curled tightly into a ball at the foot of the bed whimpering softly but louder than she had after her bath. The girl's entire body was alternately shaking and thrashing. Having two relatively young children Miranda was familiar with nightmares and even waking someone from them, but this wasn't just anyone and the editor found herself in the tenuous position of having to decide blindly what the best course of action would be. After weighing her options Miranda simply couldn't take seeing the younger woman's pain any longer without interfering.

"It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here," she murmured while slowly reaching out a trembling hand to run soothingly down the tortured woman's back. "It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here," Miranda gently repeated over and over while running one hand soothingly along Andrea's back and the other through her hair. This process continued for nearly a half hour with the younger woman slowly calming. Miranda's voice was starting to become hoarse; her hands heavy with fatigue when the whimpering stopped completely. Andrea slowly uncurled her body from the tight ball and ever so slowly turned her head to lock eyes with the woman soothing her.

The room was silent. There was something different in those chocolate brown eyes that Miranda hadn't seen in the previous two days. Andrea's eyes were eerily focused and intense as she studied the other woman's face. The only movement was brown eyes traveling over Miranda's face, then her form; slowly studying every detail. Miranda had never been the subject of such intense scrutiny before. She suddenly understood why her glare had such a powerful effect. Uncomfortable didn't even begin to touch how she felt in that moment. The editor forced herself to sit completely still and allow Andrea's visual investigation. After what seemed like another half hour Andrea's eyes locked onto blue ones again. The younger woman sat up and Miranda's hands fell away from her body and hair. Andrea folded her legs; one tucked under the other, and faced the editor, hands in her lap, her face serious and clouded. Miranda couldn't hold back a gasp at the heavy expression on the young woman's face.

Miranda could see Andrea's throat working as she swallowed convulsively several times; the action loud in the silent room. Full, pink lips parted and Miranda heard the most beautiful sound she had ever had the pleasure of hearing when a raspy voice said, "W..wh..wh…who….a..a..are…y..y..you." The question was stuttered and halting. Anyone that knew Miranda could attest that the editor hated stuttering and rambling speech with a passion but at that moment Miranda couldn't find any fault with it. "Miranda," the white haired woman answered not bothering to hide her smile. "W…w…wh…," Andrea swallowed several more times, "ww…wh…where?" More swallowing followed this question. "Where are we?" Miranda asked, she received a nod in response. "We are in the small town you currently call home. Brownsville, I believe is the name; very quaint place." Miranda explained. Andrea looked confused, her brows drew together tightly and her eyes started racing around the room before falling on her hands in her lap. She studied her hands as though they were entirely new to her, which Miranda thought may be true. The editor could see that the girl was close to panicking again as she was not finding anything familiar in her vain search. The older woman reached slowly across to the other woman and gently took Andrea's hands in hers. "It's ok. It's alright. You're safe. I'm here," she murmured. Frantic brown eyes locked onto calm blue eyes.

"Do you remember anything; your name, perhaps?" The editor was loath to let go of the name Andrea had chosen but if she remembered anything of whom she was before; when she was human, then it was worth a name change. The younger woman shook her head and her body started to tremble. "It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here." The trembling grew worse. "Come here," Miranda said quietly; releasing the other woman's hands and stretching out her arms. The editor silently thanked whoever would listen when the girl fell into the embrace, hugging Miranda tightly. The older woman started rocking back and forth slightly, resuming her hand's movements from earlier. "It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here." These words became a mantra between the two women.

When the trembling subsided the editor tightened her arms around the young woman and began speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. "As I said, my name is Miranda. My daughters and I are from the city. New York. We are here on vacation for a week. This town is new to us, as are you. You were friendly with the people that owned this house previously, before it was rented out to vacationers like me. The first night we were here you wandered in and set yourself in front of the fire. That was two days ago." Miranda decided to leave out the bit about Andrea believing she was a dog; the young woman seemed stressed enough. "It seems that the people that lived here before took care of you but they are gone now and I am concerned that you will be alone once the girls and I leave." At these words the shaking returned, forcefully. "It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here." The mantra resumed.

After several moments with the woman still trembling in her arms Miranda continued, "That said I would very much like you to consider returning to the city with us; with me. I have more than adequate resources to care for you and I am loath to leave you here. The choice is yours." Miranda rested her chin on the chestnut head tucked into the crook of her neck and waited. She felt a nod against her skin. Miranda smiled and reached down to place a finger under Andrea's chin to force eye contact. She brushed a stray hair out of Andrea's face, her braid having become completely disheveled during her earlier thrashing. "Would you like to come live with us in New York?" Miranda formally asked. "Y..ye…yes," the younger woman nodded earning her a genuine smile from the other woman. "Do you remember anything from before this moment?" Andrea shook her head. "Do you remember choosing a name with us," another shake. Miranda could see tears starting to gather in the dark eyes. "Sssshhh, it's alright, darling." Miranda soothed. "You picked a beautiful name, Andrea." Brown eyes brightened at this news. "An…An…And…," Andrea broke off obviously upset with herself for not being able to pronounce her own name. "The girls thought that perhaps 'Andy' would be a nice nickname for you. Of course I will continue to call you Andrea," Miranda said. "An..An..dy..Andy," the younger woman stuttered out and then gave a breathtaking grin. It was obvious that while her vocal chords may not have been severed completely that they had indeed been damaged leaving Andrea's voice permanently a low, raspy, and incredibly sexy sound.

Miranda glanced at the clock by the bed and noted that it was nearly four in the morning. "Andrea, I would love nothing more than to chat with you all night but we are both exhausted and in need of some rest," she stroked the girl's back. "We can continue this conversation in the morning. Come to bed, darling." Miranda gently I tangled herself from her going companion; entertaining their fingers as she repositioned them correctly on the bed. This time she didn't hesitate to draw Andrea into her arms in a comforting embrace the younger woman still shook lightly. Miranda started the mantra again while rocking lightly with her arms wrapped tightly around the girl's slender waist. "It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here." The two women soon drifted back to sleep; lulled into slumber by the sound of their personal mantra, "It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guy. Me again. I can't seem to get going on Devil's diary but this one is hitting me over the head. Thank you for all of the reviews and as always I am open to suggestions. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**~Avermore~**

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**The young woman's eyes opened. Wherever she was it was dark and cold. Panic started to creep in. Her hands flew over her body and around her lightly attempting to assess where she was. As the panic deepened her body fought to sit upright but was unable, instead she half crawled, half dragged herself to the end of what she had determined was a bed. Alone; she was alone and terrified. Her body started to shake uncontrollably and she started to whimper. Attempting to seek some form of comfort her body curled tightly into a fetal position. 'What is going on? What is this place? Who am I?' The trembling got worse. **

**'Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god,' kept running through her mind. The whimpering grew worse. The shaking grew worse. Her vision tunneled. A cold sweat broke out on her body. She shut her eyes tightly and wished for something to happen; anything. Nothing could be worse than this nothingness she was trapped in. It hurt so much. Her body felt tense and weak at the same time. She wanted desperately to move but she couldn't think of anywhere to go or anything to do. Alone, she hated being alone. **

**'Oh, god. Oh, god. It hurts!' her mind raged. She was on the verge of tears, locked in her own level of hell, when she felt hands on her. Impossibly her body tensed further. She wasn't alone. Someone was here with her. The hands on her body were so gentle, so soothing. Slowly she became aware of her body again. One hand was running up and down her back and another was smoothing hair at her temple. A voice; she heard a voice. How long had it been since she had heard someone speak? Had she ever heard someone speak? What was this person saying? "It's ok. It's all right. You're safe. I'm here." A woman; it was a woman here with her, speaking to her so soothingly. She began to calm. **

**The woman's voice was so soft, so gentle, and so beautiful. Where was this woman? Her body had calmed enough for her to think again and she wanted very much to see this wonderful woman. Slowly she turned her head, her body sore from being tensed for such a long time. Even in the semi darkness ice blue eyes were clearly visible. Slowly she took in every possible detail of the woman sitting beside her. Her pale skin was glowing in the moonlight, bright white hair, and of course those intense blue eyes. Somehow, she knew the woman was older than she was but she wasn't sure how she knew that. The woman was slender, but fierce. She was beautiful. She couldn't quit staring at the woman. 'Gods, she's gorgeous.' Her eyes roved over as much as she could see of the woman over and over. She could still feel her hands on her body though they had stilled. Suddenly questions formed in her mind; questions she needed to ask this woman.**

**Her eyes found those bright blue orbs again and she slowly uncurled her body and sat up. The process took several minutes, as she was incredibly weak and shaky. She felt the woman's hands fall away from her skin and she mourned the loss. After many minutes she was able to tuck her legs under her, somewhat steadying her body and she folded her hands in her lap. Her throat worked swallowing, trying to form words. Several swallows and deep breaths later she was able to get out a sound, "W..wh..wh…who…a..a..are…y..y..you?" Her voice sounded strange to her own ears. It was raspy and croaking, nothing at all like the velvety voice of the other woman. She frowned.**

**"Miranda," she said with a smile.**

**'Miranda' her mind repeated and her breath caught at the smile. What a pretty name. What a gorgeous smile. The name felt so good in her mind. She wanted to repeat it but knew that in her raspy voice it would not sound nearly as beautiful. She settled for asking her next question. "W…w…wh…," she had to pause as her throat worked swallowing over and over as she tried to coax it to obey her. "Ww…wh…where?" She let out a deep breath. It wasn't the question she had formed in her mind but it was all her treacherous throat would allow her to say. She swallowed again and again. Luckily, Miranda seemed to understand what she wanted to know. 'Thank god,' she thought.**

**"Where are we?" Miranda asked.**

**She nodded. "We are in the small town you currently call home. Brownsville, I believe is the name; very quaint place."**

**'Brownsville.' Well that didn't sound familiar at all. Nothing was familiar. Miranda said this place was her home, but she didn't know it. Did she know anything? She began to look around the room searching frantically for anything that she could recall; anything that looked familiar. She couldn't find anything. Her hands were fidgeting in her lap forcing her gaze towards them. Even her hands didn't look familiar! Were they always this rough? They looked too big for some reason. Why did they have calluses and scratches? What did she do with these hands? Her brows had drawn together tightly as she continued to look at the foreign objects attached to her body. Panic was starting to set in again. Her vision was tunneling, blackness creeping in at the edges. Then she saw steady, pale hands slowly reach towards her and take her shaking hands in them. The panic receded a bit. **

**"It's ok. It's all right. You're safe. I'm here," Miranda spoke soothingly.**

**She forced her eyes from her hands to meet that cool blue gaze. She could stay in those eyes forever. They were so calming. Her breathing started to slow down. The mantra helped, too.**

**"It's ok. It's all right. You're safe. I'm here," that beautiful voice repeated over and over until the trembling stopped.**

**"Do you remember anything; your name perhaps?" Miranda asked.**

**Name? A name? Oh crap, that's right people had names like Miranda. 'I don't have a name! Why don't I have a name?' her body started to shake again. 'What is wrong with me?' She shook her head. She didn't have a name. Did no one care about her enough to name her? Was she anything to anyone? The shaking grew worse. She heard the mantra again.**

**"It's ok. It's all right. You're safe. I'm here," Miranda said.**

**Miranda. That's right, Miranda. She had Miranda. Surely Miranda cared?**

**"Come here," she heard Miranda say. She looked up. Miranda had her arms held out. She wanted her. She would make this better. She would give her a name. She fell into the open arms and held Miranda tight. Miranda started rocking her gently. She breathed in deeply over and over. Miranda smelled delicious. The scent seemed familiar. It was comforting. It was divine. She hid her face in the crook of Miranda's neck and a profound sense of calm washed through and over her. Her body calmed. She could still hear the mantra.**

**"It's ok. It's all right. You're safe. I'm here," Miranda's amazingly soft voice repeated. She felt Miranda's arms tighten around her and she felt safe. 'Home. This is home.' She didn't ever want to leave this woman's embrace.**

**"As I said, my name is Miranda. My daughters and I are from the city. New York. We are here on vacation for a week. This town is new to us, as are you."**

**New to her? How could that be? She couldn't remember anything else. Miranda continued.**

**"You were friendly with the people that owned this house previously, before it was rented out to vacationers like me. The first night we were here you wandered in and set yourself in front of the fire. That was two days ago."**

**Two days? She had only known Miranda two days? Who were these people she was talking about? She searched her mind but couldn't recall anything beyond the last hour that she had spent with Miranda. She didn't remember other people, not even Miranda's daughters.**

**"It seems that the people that lived here before took care of you but they are gone now and I am concerned that you will be alone once the girls and I leave."**

**Leave? She couldn't leave! She said those other people that took care of her had left too. Why did everyone leave her? What was wrong with her? Her body started shaking violently.**

**"It's alright. It's ok. You're safe. I'm here."**

**It took several moments for the young woman's body to calm. Miranda spoke again.**

**"That said I would very much like you to consider returning to the city with us; with me. I have more than adequate resources to care for you and I am loath to leave you here. The choice is yours," Miranda said.**

**Choice? What choice? She didn't want to stay here and Miranda wanted her; would care for her. She wanted to speak but it was so hard and her throat hurt so much. She feared Miranda would take her silence for a 'no' so she nodded her head. Yes, yes, she wanted to go with Miranda. 'Anywhere, just don't leave me,' she thought.**

**She felt a finger under her chin, lifting her head. More fingers brushed hair from her face. The movements were so gentle. It felt so good to be touched like that, so good.**

**"Would you like to come live with us in New York?" Miranda asked. Apparently she wanted a verbal response. The young woman swallowed convulsively.**

**"Y..ye…yes," she managed to force out. Damn, it hurt. Her throat was so raw. She nodded her head too just so Miranda couldn't misunderstand. Miranda smiled. God she loved that smile.**

**"Do you remember anything from before this moment?"**

**Was there anything before this moment? It was so perfect. Miranda spoke of other things; other people, other times. Problem was that she couldn't recall any of this. There was only this moment with Miranda. It was her whole world; the beginning of her life and the end; completely encompassing the entire spectrum of her mind. No, there was nothing else. She shook her head.**

**"Do you remember choosing a name with us?" Miranda asked.**

**A name! She knew Miranda would have given her a name. Miranda cared. She would fix this. She would. Her eyes started to water from the sadness that she couldn't remember the moment that Miranda had named her. She shook her head again.**

**"Sssshhh, it's alright, darling," Miranda soothed.**

**Darling. Was that her name? It didn't sound quite right.**

**"You picked a beautiful name, Andrea."**

**Her eyes lit up. Her name coming from Miranda's mouth made her so happy. It felt so right; sounded so pretty in that voice. She wanted to say it, never mind her horrible voice.**

**"An…An…And…," her throat convulsed. It wouldn't cooperate. She couldn't say her own name. She wanted to cry.**

**"The girls thought that perhaps 'Andy' would be a nice nick name for you. Of course I will continue to call you Andrea," Miranda said.**

**Two names? She got two names, how amazingly special. Now she wanted to cry for a different reason. Miranda would call her one name; that beautiful name that she couldn't say. It would be something just between her and Miranda. That thought made her so happy. She was sure she could say the shorter name. Perhaps the only one who should say the longer name was Miranda. She did it so beautifully after all. She would hate to hear anyone else butcher it the way she had when she attempted it.**

**"An..An..dy..Andy." She did it. She said her own name. Pride overwhelmed her. She smiled so big her cheeks hurt. Miranda smiled back at her and Andy's world felt complete.**

**"Andrea, I would love nothing more than to chat with you all night," Miranda said.**

**Chat? Andy had barely managed 3 words.**

**"But we are both exhausted and in need of some rest."**

**Andy felt her hand run along her back.**

**"We can continue this conversation in the morning. Come to bed, darling."**

**Apparently Miranda was going to call her 'Darling' too. A third name. She felt Miranda untangle her arms from her body and immediately felt bereft. Before she could get too morose she felt the other woman intertwine their fingers, pulling her towards the head of the bed. They lay side by side, Miranda behind her with her arms wrapped tightly around Andy's middle.**

**"It's ok. It's all right. You're safe. I'm here," Miranda whispered.**

**Andy's last thought before her eyes closed was "It will be ok, I am alright, I am safe, and Miranda is here."**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for all of the support on this story! I am loving the feedback and will use most of it if possible. **

**~Avermore~**

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**The next several days flew by for Miranda. The morning after 'Andrea's Awakening', as Miranda was privately referring to the first time she heard Andrea speak, the young woman had awoken just like the first day; her mind that of a dog once more. The editor had been disappointed and had missed the young woman dearly. She had decided to keep the information to herself, as she did not see how it would be beneficial for anyone to know what had happened. **

** Since Andrea had given her consent to return to New York Miranda had been busy during the that first day making phone calls, arranging doctor's visits, attempting to track down anyone that could give more information about Andrea's past, and making sure that the town house would be well prepared for their return. She and Andrea repeated the bedtime preparedness ritual of bathing and grooming right down to Andrea insisting on watching Miranda prepare for bed as well. The editor also made sure to make Andrea walk on her feet for as much of this as possible to get the girl used to walking again. Upon climbing into bed the third night after she and the girls' arrival at the cabin the silver haired editor had bid Andrea good night while Andrea settled herself in her 'spot' and then Miranda had said, "I was honored to meet the other you, the real you, last night and while that person was lost to me today I would very much like to speak with her again. Please come back to me Andrea." Then she had brushed her lips across Andrea's cheek and lain down to sleep.**

** Miranda was pleasantly surprised when that night went much like the last, except for the fact that Andrea was always so afraid and disoriented upon 'awakening.' The younger woman remembered everything of their conversation from the previous night and spent much of her time asking one-worded questions and listening to Miranda's answers. Miranda was still careful to leave out that the young woman thought herself a dog and simply told her "you are not your true self during the day" which seemed a good enough answer for the young woman. A great majority of these nighttime conversations were spent with Andrea curled in Miranda's embrace, as it seemed to allow her to keep calm.**

**So the days passed uneventfully and peacefully while Miranda prepared her and the girls' lives to continue with their new family member and the nights were filled with the discovery and explanation of Andrea; an enigma Miranda soon found she** **could not imagine life without. She couldn't really describe what it was she was feeling for the younger woman. She felt a fierce protectiveness and urge to care for her just as she felt for her daughters. She also felt drawn to the chestnut haired beauty in a way that she had never felt before, not even for her husbands. It was odd really, the younger woman had managed to turn Miranda's life and emotions on their ear in the span of twenty-four hours and Miranda found that she wouldn't go back for the world. Her life, excepting the lack of sleep that she was learning to work around by going to bed earlier and rising a bit later, was infinitely better. Even the girls were happier, which Miranda thought might have something to do with the fact that their mother was so much happier and that spilled over to the girls, plus they loved Andrea, or Andy as they called her.**

** Perhaps the hardest part of the entire ordeal of getting Andrea ready to leave had been telling the local sheriff. It wasn't that Miranda was afraid to tell the man she was taking Andrea with her but rather that she was afraid he would find some way to keep her in the tiny town. The fear was so great that the editor contacted her lawyer beforehand, apprised him of the situation, and had him ready any legal documents she would need; she had told him to be ready to come to the small town on a moment's notice. For once she needn't have worried as events went much smoother than she had ever anticipated. Miranda smiled at the memory.**

**_"I am taking Andrea with me back to New York. I have far more resources than are available to her here and she will be much safer and happier," Miranda had walked into the sheriff's office unannounced and spoken before the sheriff even realized what was going on._**

**_"Well good morning, ma'am," the young sheriff had said tipping his hat. "Who is Andrea and why are you telling me?"_**

**_ "I believe the locals were referring to her as 'Day'," Miranda responded waving her hand dismissively, "which is in no way a suitable name for a young woman."_**

**_ "Oh, ok," the young man had said, "Good luck!" and smiled brightly. "When will y'all be traveling back so that we can tell Day," Miranda glared at him, "um…Andrea good bye?"_**

**_ Miranda was stunned. This woman had been a resident of their town for several years; she was a local fixture and here this man was politely asking when they could tell her good bye. Her trademark glare in place Miranda said, "We will be leaving in three days. I trust there will be no issues with our departure?"_**

**_ The young man shook his head and smiled, "Not a one ma'am. Look I know you expect me to be upset and tell you that it won't happen; that we won't let her leave, but ma'am this is a retirement community pretty much. Folks here can't take care of her like she needs. Betty did an amazing job, but she's gone now and the girl could use more. You say you have the money and the time to help her, well by all means ma'am I ain't gonna stop ya," his face took on a sadder expression. "This is a small town, ma'am, there aren't many law enforcement officers here so even though I was a rookie I was on the scene when they found her," his eyes looked haunted and he was staring over Miranda's shoulder as he remembered. "It wasn't pretty, ma'am. They were treating her like an animal, not a pet, an animal. She was so thin and skittish and we all thought for sure she wouldn't make it. They had to tie her to the bed and sedate her just to get her to calm down enough to help her. It took months to get her halfway well and then when she was released, well we didn't know what to do. At first we kinda set up a schedule for her to go to different houses and get looked after, but Day, she just plain refused to cooperate. Took us awhile to figure out it was the men she didn't like and to find women that could and would help her."_**

**_ "But the town's folks, well they pulled through for that little gal and she's been pretty happy here. Happier than she ever was with those men that had her anyway, but that first day when she walked into that cabin with you and stayed the night, I knew."_**

**_ "Knew what?" Miranda asked, glaring to hide her curiosity for the answer. _**

**_ "I knew you were the one that could completely heal her. Day has been here for years, ma'am. It took months to get her to eat, months to get her to sleep indoors, months to get her to let people help her and here you come waltzing in and after knowing you for all of five minutes Day is curling up in front of your fire? Doesn't make any sense, ma'am." The young man's brows were drawn together in consternation. "People say that animals can tell if someone is good or bad, they just know how someone's gonna be to 'em right off the bat," Miranda was glaring hard at him now. How dare he call Andrea an animal!_**

**_ "Now I know Day isn't really an animal ma'am but when she saw you she saw someone that wouldn't hurt her. She saw someone that would help her. She saw someone that would love her," the young sheriff was looking at Miranda intensely, his face open and earnest, reminding her so much of Andrea in that moment. "I know you think we are small town hicks that don't know you from Adam, ma'am, but we do. The folks here are well to do and well connected. After you arrived that first day everyone was talking; the town was buzzing. I know what they say about you, how you are cold and heartless. They call you Dragon Lady, Snow Queen, but that doesn't matter, not to Day. I don't know who or what she was in her previous life, ma'am, but I can tell you three things about her. She's resilient as hell, she's smart, and she knows people. She chose you for a reason, ma'am and like I said I ain't gonna stand in the way, yours or hers, because I know for certain that no one, and I mean no one, can make Day do anything she doesn't want; so if she goes with you back to the city its because she's choosing to."_**

**_ Miranda was so shocked by the young man's impassioned speech that she lost her words for several moments. She recovered quickly and was able to sort out some legal details. Andrea had legally been named 'Jane Doe' and had a birth certificate issued in that name which the sheriff was able to give her. Miranda would have that legally changed once back in New York. Andrea was, of course, a legal adult: free to make her own decisions. The town's people had never seen fit to declare her incompetent so she was for all intents and purposes a free woman. Miranda had thanked the young man and walked out of the station throwing a few words over her shoulder as she left, "Feel free to drop by and bid Andrea adieu before we leave." _**

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**_Well guys, what do we think? Next is New York! Remember...reviews make me write faster ;)_**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello again... two updates in less than two days? Record breaking! Well for me anyway. As always thank you for reading, the support, and the feedback. Oh by the by I know I said they'd be going back to New York in this chapter but I started writing and well... they haven't made it back to New York yet. Hope you guys aren't too disappointed. Soon, though, soon.**

**~Avermore~ **

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**"Daughters?" Andrea croaked. Her voice was becoming stronger by the day, well by the night, but it would always be raspy. It was close to 2 in the morning and Andrea and Miranda were having yet another nightly conversation as had become their norm. Each evening the two women would prepare for bed with Miranda teaching Andrea how to accomplish simple grooming tasks. Like an obedient puppy Andrea would dutifully mimic what she was shown with increasing skill. They had yet to tackle Andrea bathing herself but the young woman's manual dexterity was increasing daily and Miranda was sure that soon she could teach the young woman this too. After nightly preparations the women would walk to the bed, Andrea nearly unassisted at this point, only needing to link arms with Miranda for balance, a mental block so Miranda thought. The couple would lie down taking their normal 'spots' in the bed, Andrea still curling up like a dog though Miranda had convinced her to stay near the head of the bed, under the covers, rather than the foot. Each night Miranda would gently kiss Andrea's cheek and say, "It has been a good day with you Andrea but I would very much like to speak with your true self again. I miss you. Please come back to me," and every night Andrea would.**

**Andrea was proving to be quite curious. Where she ran into walls and roadblocks with her own past she took Miranda's life, past, present, and future, as fair game and the editor was loath to stop her. Tonight she wanted to know about the girls. She couldn't remember them from the daytime. In fact she still remembered nothing from the daytime, not even her interactions with Miranda. The silver haired woman found this both helpful and annoying. While she didn't particularly want Andrea to know that she thought herself a dog she did enjoy that time with Andrea, albeit in a different way than she enjoyed their nights, and on several occasions the editor had caught herself wanting to relive a moment from the day with Andrea during the night. **

**"You want to know about Caroline and Cassidy?" Miranda confirmed.**

**Andrea nodded. "Pr…etty…na…mes."**

**"Thank you," Miranda said with a smile. "They are wonderful daughters. I had them rather late in life as they are not quite teenagers and I am nearly… well never mind the exact number… the point is that I am old." The editor shook her head ruefully. She did so hate to think of her age, of her beauty slipping away, one thing she couldn't control and having no way to fight against it. **

**Miranda felt Andrea's soft touch on her face, she could confuse it with no other. Andrea was so incredibly gentle when she touched Miranda. During the day she was a rough and tumble 5 foot 9 dog, but during the night she was as sweet and gentle as… well Miranda didn't really have a comparison for it. Andrea's eyes met Miranda's as the younger woman struggled for words. Miranda was certainly learning patience. "N…n...ot….o...ooo….old," she ran her hand gently from Miranda's signature lock of silver hair on her forehead to her lips caressing them gently before letting her hand fall away. "B…b…b…eau…tiful." Logically Miranda knew that she was the only woman that Andrea could ever remember seeing, for all intents and purposes the only woman on Earth to Andrea, but when she saw the sincerity and intensity in those huge chocolate eyes the editor couldn't help but feel beautiful at the compliment as it was so honestly given. **

**"Thank you, darling." Miranda clasped her hand with Andrea's then lifted it to her mouth and kissed the girl's knuckles. "Though you must realize that I am much older than you, Andrea."**

**She watched as Andrea's face scrunched in confusion. **

**"I'm old enough to be your mother in fact," Miranda said smiling gently at Andrea, smoothing the young woman's wrinkled brow with the fingers of her free hand. **

**To the editor's surprise Andrea forcefully shook her head, dislodging Miranda's hand. "No." Andrea stated quite clearly, not even stuttering. **

**"Oh, I know I am not your mother, Andrea…" the editor's sentence was cut short when Andrea, for the first time ever, interrupted her.**

**"No!" the young woman said a little more forcefully. "Not…m…mo…moth…mother," she said slowly but steadily while pointing at Miranda. She shook her head again and pointed at herself, "Not…d…d…dau…daughter." **

**"Yes, I understand, Andrea," Miranda said gently. "I am not your mother. You are not my daughter." This conversation was becoming a bit circular and Miranda wasn't sure why. She understood that she wasn't Andrea's mother and she wasn't saying that she was. She didn't really want to be. She wanted to be…well she wasn't really sure what she wanted to be to Andrea but her mother certainly wasn't on the list of possibilities. Andrea was young and beautiful and she could have anything out of life that she so desired. Miranda would make it so. She had no intentions of tying herself to the girl in a romantic way even if in the deepest, darkest recesses of her mind the editor could admit to herself that was the direction her feelings were beginning to go. No, it simply wasn't done. Friendship. Yes, that would do. **

**"We are friends," Miranda said, trying to stop the vicious loop this conversation was beginning to follow. Her hands were once again stroking through Andrea's hair as the woman lay facing her. They had gotten into the habit of slowly moving while conversing until they were each laying right way in the bed facing each other. Night after night they had begun to lie closer and closer to each other until they were able to lie comfortably in each other's arms. 'Sure Miranda, tell the girl you are friends while you hold her as a lover would. That's not confusing at all.' The editor rolled her eyes at herself. **

**"No," Andrea said again. Really this was becoming quite ridiculous. Miranda decided to try a different tack. She softened her voice as much as possible, stroked Andrea's hair and face in a way that soothed them both, and said, "What then, darling? What do you want to say?"**

**The older woman watched as Andrea closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Miranda watched as a range of emotions played across Andrea's face. The editor could tell that the young woman was searching for the right words as she often did before speaking. Miranda often thought that the young woman knew exactly what she wanted to say but spent time searching for simpler, easier to pronounce words. Finally those brown eyes opened and stared intently into bright blue. **

**"No. Not … mo…ther… not," Andrea was speaking without stuttering but her words were slow and spaced, "dau…ghter. Not… fri…ends." Blue eyes widened. Silence. Andrea raised herself up on one elbow and gazed down at the prone editor. The young woman lifted her hand and ever so slowly brought her fingers to the unruly, silver, signature forelock running them gently through Miranda's hair before brushing the lock back. Her fingers continued softly down the older woman's cheek, before retracing their earlier path down to the editor's slightly parted lips. Here her fingers stroked softly, her brown eyes focused on the movement of her fingers for a moment before traveling up to lock gazes with Miranda. **

**The older woman was becoming slightly uncomfortable under the intense scrutiny and Andrea's soft fingers were wreaking havoc on her senses as she tried to divine what it was Andrea was trying to explain. Andrea's gaze remained locked with Miranda's as the younger woman's fingers left her lips and stroked back up the older woman's jaw line, creating tremors that caused the editor to tighten her arms around the chestnut haired beauty. Fingers reached her jaw and then traversed slowly, lightly down Miranda's neck, something Andrea had never done before. **

**Miranda suddenly became afraid of where those inquisitive fingers were going to go, vividly remembering the first time she had woken with Andrea in her bed and being sniffed rather intimately. The questing fingers traced down Miranda's pounding jugular to her collar bones which she traced in their entirety before sliding her hand towards Miranda's left shoulder. Miranda's nipples hardened at the proximity of Andrea's hand to her chest and her breathing became even shallower. Instead of going lower though Andrea's palm flattened out over Miranda's heart and the younger woman spoke so softly the word was almost lost, "Mo…re." Miranda's eyes closed momentarily, stunned at the depth of emotion evident on Andrea's wonderfully expressive face. It was easy to see that the girl meant exactly what she said and meant it very deeply. 'More.' They were more than mother and daughter, more than friends. Miranda knew the girl was right. She didn't have another more accurate way to describe their relationship, but 'more' was a damn good start. **

**When blue eyes fluttered open she found Andrea still intently studying her. Miranda cleared her throat, "Yes, more." Andrea's face broke out in an ear-to-ear grin that the older woman couldn't help but return. "More," Andrea repeated more firmly, nodding her head for emphasis. Then the younger woman wrapped Miranda in a full body embrace, squeezing tightly, her face hidden in the crook of Miranda's neck. The editor returned the embrace just as tightly. They stayed locked in the impossibly tight embrace for several long moments before Andrea drew back slightly. She searched Miranda's face again and then seemed to come to a decision. Leaning forward inch by inch in what seemed like slow motion Andrea brought her face less than an inch away from Miranda's. Miranda could feel the younger woman's soft breaths on her lips. The older woman froze, not even daring to breath, waiting to see what this curious creature would get in her mind to do next. She didn't have to wait long before she felt soft, plump lips tentatively brush her own before the younger woman withdrew looking sheepishly into Miranda's eyes through her downcast lashes. Miranda released the breath she'd been holding, breathily saying, "Oh, Andrea, darling." **

**Andrea still looked worried so Miranda wrapped her arms around her young companion tightly and rocked her gently. "More indeed," Miranda said. The two women fell asleep locked in each other's embrace with their new mantra of "more" still lingering in the air between them. **

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**Well? What do you think? Too much too soon? Not enough? Something missing? I'm on pins and needles over here. Thanks for reading!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**I know, I know, I've been absolutely horrid making you wait so long. When I started getting more reviews that said "get your butt to writing" than anything else I figured you poor souls had waited long enough. Thanks for sticking with me even if I am horrid :)**

**~Avermore~**

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**The drive back to New York was mostly silent. Miranda was increasingly grateful that she and the twins had decided to drive to their vacation spot rather than fly. The silver haired woman wasn't sure how Andrea would have handled flying. She glanced over at the young woman who was currently curled up on the reclined passenger seat sleeping. The twins and Patricia were also asleep, so Miranda was alone with her thoughts for the first time in days.**

**Their last three days of vacation had gone well. Half of Brownsville had turned up on their doorstep the night before their departure with food and drink and had thrown an impromptu "farewell party" for Andrea, or Day as they had still called her despite Miranda's frequent objections. While the editor was not particularly fond of social events this one had to be the most interesting she had been to in years. Each of the residents that had shown up had pulled her aside at one point and wished her luck with Andrea in the city and asked her to write to the sheriff to let them know of the young woman's progress. Several asked for her mailing address so that they could send letters and such to Andrea; of course Miranda had given the address for the Runway office. For people that treated the woman as a dog for several years they were quick to grasp onto her humanity. Miranda was somewhat perplexed at this until the sheriff explained, "She's different you know," he had said walking up beside Miranda, punch in hand. Miranda had been standing off to the side watching Andrea interact with the townspeople, the young woman often looking in her direction, Miranda's eyes never leaving the brunette even as the sheriff spoke. "Different?" Miranda queried cringing internally. Repeating herself was not something she liked nor tended to do, repeating others was worse; but this young sheriff had a habit of surprising her so much that she repeated him before she realized it.**

**The young man had the audacity to grin at her. "Yes ma'am," Miranda glared at him, she didn't need constant reminding of her age by his overuse of 'ma'am.' The sheriff continued seemingly oblivious to the killer glare, "Oh, she's still walkin' on her hands and knees and she don't speak, but there are tiny differences that are very obvious to us that know her." Miranda raised an eyebrow; she had no intention of mimicking the man again. "Well like now, look at her," Miranda was already looking at the young woman, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. "You don't see it I guess because you didn't know her before, well before you," the sheriff laughed at his joke. "See how she's sittin'? Her legs are crossed and folded and she's sittin' on her bottom; she's not on her haunches like she's sat since I've known her." Miranda must have looked unconvinced because the young man continued. "And look at her face, her eyes. Those aren't her puppy eyes." 'What does that even mean? Of course those are her puppy eyes!' Miranda had seen Andrea's real eyes when she was awake at night and they weren't the same as her eyes now, during the day. Miranda was convinced the young sheriff could have a good career as a mind reader when next he said, "So you've seen her real eyes then, ma'am?," at Miranda's incredulous look he continued, "You don't look like you think much of what I'm sayin' and the only way you would doubt me is if you've seen more," he finished with a shrug. 'More,' there was that word again. Yes, she had seen more, considerably more, but she wasn't about to tell him that. The editor's face took on one of her well known haughty expressions. He laughed, "Don't worry ma'am, I ain't expectin' you to tell me anythin'. I just know that she's different with you and because of you and I'm not the only one that sees it," here he gestured around the room with his free hand. "What I'm wonderin' is this," Miranda looked at the young sheriff. "How are you gonna protect that Dragon Lady image of yours in the city and, more importantly, do you want to?" The sheriff held Miranda's eyes for a long moment before tipping his hat, "Good evenin' ma'am. Have a safe trip back." With those parting words the young man walked over to Andrea, to say good-bye Miranda assumed, and then he was out the door. That damn sheriff with his wretched insightfulness was going to be the death of her; he was worse than Nigel. **

**'More.' Miranda thought about that word, neither she nor Andrea had mentioned it since that night. Miranda sighed. Her life was beginning to be defined by moments with Andrea. There was "The Meeting" that first night when Andrea had wandered into her living room and life. Then there was "The Awakening" which was the first time Andrea had spoken. Now there was "More," the night Andrea had said they were more than friends and kissed her. The kiss was barely a brushing of lips and afterwards Miranda wondered how a woman who couldn't remember how to brush her teeth could know what a kiss was but then the silver haired woman had realized that she had given Andrea that bit of knowledge. After all she kissed the young woman every night before they went to sleep, the first time and the second. Andrea, however, had gotten it in her head to kiss Miranda on the mouth all on her own. Miranda always kissed the girl's cheek.**

**Secretly the editor was glad that neither conversation nor kiss had been brought back up. She was happy to know how Andrea felt but there were still so many hurdles ahead of the girl. There was so much to accomplish before either of them could be thinking about doing anything about the 'more' of which they had spoken.**


	10. Chapter 10

**I uploaded two chapters just now so if you haven't read 9 then you should go back now :)**

**~Avermore~**

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**Now that they were headed back to the city Miranda found that she was nervous for possibly the first time in her life. She had made all the preparations she, well that her assistant, possibly could but there was just no way to tell how Andrea was going to react to new surroundings. A new home, a new, much larger city, new people, Miranda was anxious to get the young woman home and settled. She glanced over at the passenger seat where Andrea lay curled, peacefully asleep.**

**Andrea's impromptu "farewell party" had gone well. The young sheriff had gotten the word out and a day before the family's departure half the town had shown up, covered dishes in hand, and given Day a 'proper send off' as one elderly woman had said. Day had seemed in her element. She had padded around, on all fours of course, and licked and nuzzled the people whom Miranda assumed must have been closest to her. What had surprised Miranda was the number of people that had come to her and told her to take good care of Andrea, or Day as they kept calling her. Of course Cassidy and Caroline had used the party as an intelligence gathering expedition and Miranda had yet to hear every tidbit they had garnered about Day and her years in the small town.**

**The editor glanced in the back seat to see two red headed twins still asleep, one leaned on the window, and one leaned on an equally asleep Patricia. Sighing Miranda shook her head; she didn't enjoy being the only one awake on such a long road trip with only her thoughts to keep her company. It was moments like these that Miranda realized how much she missed Andrea from the night. There were times the editor swore she could see something different in those brown eyes during the day but Andrea never acted any differently so Miranda could never be sure.**

**In all honesty, Miranda wasn't sure what would happen, or more importantly what she was going to do once Andrea did 'wake up' during the day. Thus far that side of the young woman had only ever been visible to the editor and Andrea was still so incredibly fragile and easily upset. Miranda dreaded Andrea 'waking up' at an inopportune moment and being so overwhelmed that it ruined all of their progress. She had worked her schedule so that for the first week she could be at home most of the time with the young woman. Cassidy and Caroline still had a few weeks of school left to finish before breaking for summer. Aside from that the editor's plan was simple and to the point, she planned to hardly ever, if possible never, be separated from Andrea. She had already gotten Emily to start a rumor that Miranda had found a protégé or young artist on her vacation and that the young woman was extremely talented and a bit odd, on top of which Miranda had made sure that Emily include that the new artist only spoke to Miranda and never in front of others. Miranda planned to segue this rumor into a reason to have the silent young woman by her side at all times, pinning her success of the plan on her hope that she could get Andrea to walk on two feet and not bark during the day, even if she didn't 'wake up.'**

**The trial run was to be Emily. True Miranda's valued assistant knew more truth of the situation than of the rumor she had spread, but she didn't know everything. Miranda would only divulge the 'dog' side of Andrea's personality under the most extreme duress or absolute need. After all, one day Miranda hoped the girl would 'wake' for good and the editor did not want her to have to battle that image of her past with anyone. Everyone deserved the chance to heal and move on without the past being thrown in one's face. Miranda was hoping against hope that she could get the girl to walk upright all of the time and lose most of her 'dog' traits while she slowly brought Andrea from the night into the daylight. To be sure the task was nearly impossibly but if anyone could accomplish the impossible it was Miranda.**

**A noise brought Miranda from her musings. Glancing to her right she saw that Andrea was awake. Quickly she glanced in the rear view mirror to see if the rest of her passengers were awake as well, so far just Andrea was back in the land of the living. The editor felt a bit guilty that she was glad for this bit of alone time with Andrea. Smiling Miranda glanced at Andrea again, meeting her eyes and softly said, "Hey."**

**Andrea sat up straight in her seat, feet on the floor, a posture the editor missed as her eyes were mostly focused on the road, however she didn't miss when Andrea returned her smile and softly said "Hey." **

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**I know, I know, I'm being horrid again with this cliff hanger. Where do y'all want it to go? Should this be a fluke? Should the twins wake up and finally meet Andrea? Should it be an in depth, revealing conversation between Miranda and Andrea? I'm taking suggestions!**


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